New Rhein Chemie Compounding Plant Now Fully Operational

Rhein Chemie reports that the new compounding plant build at its Mannheim-Rheinau site in southwest Germany is now in full operation – an event the Lanxess group subsidiary describes as a milestone in the company’s century-plus history. The facility will produce Rhein Chemie’s Rhenogran product line of pre-dispersed, polymer-bound rubber chemicals that are used to in the manufacture of tyres and other rubber items.

“In the new plant, we are using an entirely new continuous process to manufacture polymer-bound rubber chemicals. With this technology, unique in the industry, we achieve even more consistent product quality and greater flexibility in production,” explains Dr. Anno Borkowsky, CEO and president of Rhein Chemie Rheinau GmbH. “The needs of many of our customers have changed on account of the economic situation. The new Rhenogran plant helps us to react very flexibly to changing customer demands. We have been a reliable partner to our customers for over one hundred years, and will continue to be so in the future.”

The compounding plant’s two main production lines began operating last December, while another went on line in May. Rhein Chemie invested some seven million euros to build and house the new production systems and to modernise existing plant sections. A production building was erected to combine two compounding plants. The plant periphery, including process control systems, raw material transport equipment and site logistics, was redesigned for greater efficiency. The simplified workflows and new technology ensure more flexible production. Space requirements and energy consumption both have been reduced, Rhein Chemie adds.

Mannheim, Germany headquartered Rhein Chemie has a history stretching back over 100 years. The company’s approximately 850-strong workforce produces and sells products for various sectors of the rubber, lubricants and plastics industries. Rhein Chemie has subsidiaries and production facilities in Europe, Asia as well as North and South America.